Bérengère Prud’homme, Public Prosecutor and Jean-René Nolf, Departmental Director of Public Finances, held a joint press conference on Tuesday, December 17, at 10 a.m., at the Tarbes Judicial Court. It follows the filing by the DDFiP of 10 complaints for fraud in tax reductions and credits.
This Tuesday, December 17 at 10 a.m., Bérengère Prud’homme, Public Prosecutor, and Jean-René Nolf, Departmental Director of Public Finances (DDFIP) of Hautes-Pyrénées, held a joint press conference at the Tarbes Judicial Court. The opportunity for the DDFIP to announce the filing of 10 complaints for fraud in tax reductions and credits.
The Prosecutor specified that this meeting aimed to raise awareness about the fight against tax fraud in the Hautes-Pyrénées department, in connection with the actions of the CODAF (Departmental Anti-Fraud Committee). “Today, we are here to highlight tax fraud and solemnize the transmission of several complaints,” explained Ms. Prud’homme before giving the floor to Jean-René Nolf to present the facts.
A growing fraud
Jean-René Nolf indicated that the complaints concern so-called fraud at the source or declarative. He detailed the mechanism: certain taxpayers take advantage of the income tax declaration system to register tax reductions, tax credits or fictitious withholding taxes, with the aim of unduly benefiting from refunds or advances.
“You know that income tax is declarable, but some fraudsters see this as a fragility of the system. They fill out their returns with fictitious information to falsely obtain refunds or credits. This technique has seen significant growth in recent years, which has led us to strengthen our controls,” underlined the departmental director.
In 2023, 134 fraudulent declarations were rectified in Hautes-Pyrénéesmaking it possible to avoid or recover 480 300 euros of fraud. At the national level, more than 40,000 declarations were corrected for an amount of 186 million euros.
“The tax administration is kind to bona fide taxpayers. But for those who abuse, the answer is firm. These 10 cases concern repeat offenders who declared fictitious credits or deductions inconsistent with their income. This constitutes a breach of the principle of equality before taxes and a diversion of national solidarity,” explained Jean-René Nolf.
Emblematic files and targeted profiles
According to the explanations, the fraudsters are often people with very low, or even symbolic, income. They essentially declare tax reductions or fictitious levies, without being able to provide the necessary supporting documents when the administration requests them.
“Fraud amounts to an average of 8,000 euros per file, with blatant inconsistencies and recurrences over several years. Although these amounts may appear modest individually, their multiplication and repetitive nature require a strong response,” he added. Some fraudsters belong to family or community circles, which further complicates investigations.
The risks involved
Bérengère Prud’homme recalled the sanctions provided for by law: 5 years of imprisonment incurred for false declarations with a view to obtaining an unfair advantage.
“Depending on the investigations carried out by the vice-prosecutor, Mr. Michel, the files may give rise to proceedings before the criminal court. There are several forms of procedures, such as the appearance on prior admission of guilt or the traditional hearing. But in the face of repeated behavior, marked by obvious bad faith, alternatives to prosecution remain unlikely,” she said.
Sanctions may also include additional penalties such as rights bans or the confiscation of property.
Systematic checks to stop the phenomenon
Faced with the scale of this fraud, the General Directorate of Public Finances (DGFIP) has strengthened its tools to detect inconsistencies in tax declarations. “We ensure an almost systematic control of declarations as soon as they are received. The objective is to prevent fraudulent elements from entering the tax circuit and to avoid unjustified transfers,” added Jean-René Nolf.
This communication aims to demonstrate the firmness of the tax administration and to dissuade those who could be tempted by such practices. “The checks are systematic, and the risk of being caught is real. This is a clear message for potential fraudsters,” the director concluded.
With these complaints filed at the Tarbes court, the Hautes-Pyrénées tax services therefore intend to strengthen their action against tax fraud and remind people that the relationship of trust between the State and taxpayers cannot be violated.
